Tiger owner to get rid of animals

AUSTIN {AP}  The pet tigers owned by an animal breeder will be removed from a Lee County compound after one of them dragged a small boy to his death last week.

The three pet tigers will be removed by Kerry Quinney, who has a farm outside Lexington. Quinney said Sunday he wants to make peace with stepson James Scott, the father of 3-year-old Matthew Scott. The boy, Quinney's stepgrandson, died Wednesday.

Matthew Scott had struck his head on several objects before Quinney was able to beat the tiger into releasing the child. The boy was flown to an Austin hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Matthew was buried by James and Charlotte Scott on Saturday in a family plot on the farm.

A ban on wild animals had been enacted by Lee County in 1997. But Quinney was allowed to keep three pet tigers because he had a U.S. Department of Agriculture permit.

Quinney said he wasn't getting rid of the animals because anyone was forcing him.